Arming Checks
A suite of pre-arming safety checks occur when you command the aircraft to takeoff. Pre-arm checks are intended to prevent the aircraft from enabling its propulsion system if any issues are discovered. Reasons for failing to arm can include missed or bad calibrations, faulty sensor data, configurations issues, logging problems, etc. You will notice a pre-arm check failure because you will be unable to arm the aircraft and takeoff. Pre-arm errors are displayed in the GCS message panel but only after an arming attempt.
Contents
- No SD card
- Compass inconsistent
- Compass calibration running
- Compass not calibrated
- Compass calibrated requires reboot
- Compass not healthy
- Compass offsets too high
- Compass mag field
- Compass XY
- Compass Z
- Compass not found
- Compass order change requires reboot
- Hand controller not neutral
- Throttle is not neutral
- Logging failed
- Gyros not calibrated
- Gyros inconsistent
- 3D Accel calibration needed
- Accels inconsistent
- Accels not healthy
- Accels calibrated requires reboot
- Airspeed not healthy
- GPS 1 failing configuration checks
- GPS bad fix
- GPS not healthy
- GPS and AHRS differ
- GPS was not found
- GPS SBF disk is not mounted
- GPS attempting to mount disk
- GPS disk is full
- GPS SBF not logging
- Hardware safety switch
- Missing mission item: vtol land
- Missing mission item: do land start
- Missing mission item: vtol takeoff
- No sufficiently close rally point located
- Internal errors
- Battery 1 below minimum arming voltage
- Battery 2 below minimum arming voltage
Pre-Arm Errors
No SD card
Autopilot SD card not installed.
Install SD card and reboot.
Compass inconsistent
Magnetic field unfamiliar due to hardware or location change.
Calibrate compasses and reboot.
Compass calibration running
Compass calibration in progress.
Wait or cancel calibration. Reboot.
Compass not calibrated
Compass has never been calibrated.
Calibrate compasses and reboot.
Compass calibrated requires reboot
Aircraft was not rebooted after calibrating compasses.
Reboot.
Compass not healthy
Compass not communicating or EKF thinks compass is inconsistent.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support.
Compass offsets too high
Calibrated in location with strong magnetic field or payload interference.
Re-calibrate
Compass mag field
Magnetic field too high or low.
Check for environmental or payload interference.
Compass XY
Horizontal magnetic field does not match Earth model.
Check for environmental or payload interference.
Compass Z
Vertical magnetic field does not match Earth model.
Check for environmental or payload interference.
Compass not found
Compass disconnected or broken.
Replace or contact support.
Compass order change requires reboot
Aircraft was not rebooted after changing compass order.
Reboot.
Hand controller not neutral
Sticks were moved or deflected while arming, adjusted trims, bad gimbals.
Center sticks and lower throttle before arming.
Throttle is not neutral
Throttle stick was moved or deflected while arming, adjusted trims, bad gimbals.
Lower throttle before arming.
Logging failed
Autopilot cannot write to SD card.
Reboot. If persistent, reformat SD card (FAT32).
Gyros not calibrated
Gyros not calibrated.
Calibrate gyros.
Gyros inconsistent
One or more of the gyros do not agree with the others due to failing sensor, thermal drift, or bad calibration.
Wait for autopilot warmup and retry. Perform gyro calibration. If persistent, contact support to replace autopilot.
3D Accel calibration needed
Accelerometers not calibrated.
Calibrate Accelerometers.
Accels inconsistent
One or more of the accels do not agree with the others due to failing, thermal drift, or bad calibration.
Wait for autopilot warmup and retry. Calibrate accelerometers. If persistent, contact support to replace autopilot.
Accels not healthy
One or more of the accels is not communicated or reported as a failure.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support to replace autopilot.
Accels calibrated requires reboot.
Aircraft was not rebooted after calibrating accelerometers.
Reboot.
Airspeed not healthy
Airspeed sensor not providing a reading or failed to calibrate.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support.
GPS 1 failing configuration checks
Autopilot unable to configure GPS receiver.
Additional messages explaining what is wrong with the GPS will accompany this prearm check. This is typically related to the GPS SD card.
GPS bad fix
GPS does not have 3D fix.
Wait and retry.
GPS not healthy
GPS is not communicating, not communicating fast enough, or flagged as invalid.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support.
GPS and AHRS differ
Estimated aircraft position and AHRS estimate vary greatly possibly due to interference.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support.
GPS was not found
GPS disconnected or broken.
Replace or contact support.
GPS SBF disk is not mounted
No GPS SD card or unable to write.
Retry. Check that SD is installed and has storage space.
GPS attempting to mount disk
GPS log file not mounted or in the process of doing so.
Wait and retry.
GPS disk is full
GPS SD card is full.
Clear GPS logs.
GPS SBF not logging
GPS log file not mounted.
Wait and retry.
Hardware safety switch
Control surfaces were not enabled.
Enable control surfaces.
Missing mission item: vtol land
No landing was planned or uploaded.
Plan and/or upload a landing.
Missing mission item: do land start
A DO_LAND_START must have been planned in the mission for failsafes to function.
Plan and/or upload a landing.
Missing mission item: vtol takeoff
No takeoff was planned or uploaded.
Plan and/or upload a takeoff.
No sufficiently close rally point located
No rally point was planned.
Plan and/or upload a rally point.
Internal errors
Autopilot encountered unexpected internal error.
Reboot. If persistent, contact support.
Battery 1 below minimum arming voltage
Battery below required voltage to arm.
Swap battery.
Battery 2 below minimum arming voltage
Battery below required voltage to arm.
Swap battery.